By Everon Joy P. Catanus
A Sociologist once said, “No two
cultures are alike.” Undeniably, this makes Filipino culture unique and
wonderful.
One afternoon when the sun was about
to set, my brother came rushing home sweating. He looked flustered yet in his
eyes is the evident soulful satisfaction of a young child. My mother asked, “Asa man ka gikan? (Where have you
been?)”. He then pulled a bundle of rubber bands from his pocket, raised it to
his face as he said, “Nay, daugan napud
ko’g dampa. (Nay, I won again)”.
It is amazing to know that amidst
the boom of online gaming and other “gadgetry diversions” our generation has
provided for its children, nature still has a way of preserving local Filipino
past time like dampa and spider
battles among others. But until when will these games be preserved when less
and less children are inclining themselves to these “classics”?
Here are the top five classic
Filipino past times we are slowly ignoring but definitely has become a part of
our childhood memories (especially when you’re a boy):
1.
Dampa
Young boys from 6-9 years old are mostly
fond of playing this game. Whether they are at home or in school, young boys
play this game. Does the name ring a bell to you? Alright! If not, here is how
it is played. Put both hands together to create a “cave”. Do not cover it too
much for the air to flow through. Strike the floor to produce an air which will
cause the rubber bands to move. There is a specific finish line for the rubber
bands to cross. Whoever strikes the most rubber bands to the finish line wins.
2. Layog Damang
Another game usually played by young
boys is the spider fight or what we call layog
damang. Before this game can be played, one must first have his trained
spider big enough to defeat the opponent’s spider. When both are ready to
fight, the spiders are put on a stick where they start to do their kill. They
attack each other while trying to prove which the better spider is. when one
spider has been covered with web or has walked away, the spider who survives
wins.
3. Marble (Jolen)
This game is very common to everyone.
Even girls play this game. This is played by striking one marble onto a hole. A
specific distance is given. This is just like playing golf but without the
club. To be able to win this game, one must have sharp eyes to be able to shoot
the marble into the hole. Whoever shoots the marble first wins. This process is
done repeatedly.
4. Takyan
Takyan is another
Filipino game which can be played by two or more players. Using a bunch of
rubber bands tied together, forming a ball, this game is played by hitting the
ball-like rubber bands making it fly in the air. This process is done continuously.
The ball-like rubber band must not hit the ground; otherwise, the opponent
takes the turn.
5. Taksi
Taksi is also an enjoyable
game. However, this game involves gambling. Several coins are placed on the
ground. These coins are enclosed in a line formed like a box. The objective of
this game is to hit as many coins as you can out of the line using another
coin. A specific distance is also given. The winner is determined when the
players have hit all the coins out of the box.
These games just prove how unique
Filipino culture is. Despite the new trend of gaming, these games have stood
the test of time.
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